Apalachicola City located in Franklin County is one of the oldest port cities in the state of Florida. Established in 1831, her borders boasts a rich and unique past. Glimpses of that by-gone era can still be viewed today through charming shops, inviting parks, historic museums and acclaimed restaurants serving fresh locally-caught seafood. Apalachicola is a close-knit community of hard-working, friendly folks who enjoy the good life thorough historical preservation (boasting 900 historic sites), beautiful wildlife, and easy water access. Full of  warm hospitality and smiling faces, Apalachicola makes everyone feel at home.

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Located east of Apalachicola on the Gulf of Mexico, the fishing village of Carrabelle located in Franklin County offers a safe harbor port for both pleasure boats and fishing vessels. While anglers revel in the area’s bays and grassy flats, for tarpon and trout; sun-celebrants and shell-seekers enjoy nature preserves such as Dog Island, accessible only by boat. Inland in Carrabelle you will find Camp Gordon Johnston, a museum commemorating WWII soldiers who completed their amphibious training there, including D-Day veterans. Oyster shacks and an annual Riverfront Festival highlight the town’s maritime identity, as well as the renovated Crooked River Lighthouse, erected in 1895.

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DeFuniak Springs located in Walton County is home to a once-gated campus/resort built during the Victorian era and marketed to the nation as “The Education Resort of the South.” The historic grounds first welcomed visitors to the annual Florida Chautauqua Assembly from 1885 to 1927. Incredibly, the grounds are mostly intact today and the charming structures collectively are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In DeFuniak Springs, you’ll find Chipley Park, known as Lake DeFuniak, charm with lighted piers that end in gazebos, and is likely the oldest operating library in the state (established in 1886). There is also the Walton County Heritage Museum, which occupies a restored train depot.

Welcome to the Emerald coast. Between the City of Destin and Fort Walton Beach, there are 24 miles of white-sand beaches. Here you will find many fun filled things to do. From family fun at the beach to snorkeling, paddling, and fishing; from outdoor adventures to waterfront shopping, entertainment, and dining. What started out as a small fishing village has grown into a popular Florida vacation destination. In Destin, fishing and seafood are still popular, the Destin Fishing Rodeo and the Destin Seafood Festival draw big crowds each October.

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Fort Walton Beach located in Okaloosa County offers powdery white sand beaches, emerald green waters, sprawling golf courses, and much more. The Boardwalk on nearby Okaloosa Island is a popular destination for friends and families alike. Here you will discover beach front shopping, savor various flavors of cuisine, and take in the incredible views. At the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park family fun adventure includes dolphin and sea lion shows, as well as, large-scale aquariums. History gets serious at the Indian Temple Mound Museum downtown and at Eglin Air Force Base’s Air Force Armament Museum, where you can view vintage aircraft for free.

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Grand Lagoon located in Bay County has become Panama City Beach‘s epicenter for entertainment, dining out and deep sea to inshore fishing. Experience adventures by land or sea. The Grand Lagoon offers widespread opportunities to discover and explore everything from authentic culinary creations, to soulful new sounds and shops full of imaginative treasures. In addition to awesome coastal shopping, you can rent kayaks, stand up paddle board, boats, and jet skis for a day of fun, sun and play. Or, take a cruise on one of the many tour boats and visit shell island, sight some dolphin or enjoy a relaxing sunset sail. Visit the Grand Lagoon and make family memories that will last a lifetime.

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Located on the Gulf of Mexico between Pensacola, Escambia County and Panama City, Bay County, you’ll find Grayton Beach State Park. The park is a 400-acre nature paradise featuring white sugar sand beaches, a coastal dune lake and an abundance of nature. Grayton Beach carefully balances history and culture, displaying trails and shores of colorful cottages, all in a row, concealing galleries, whimsical boutiques and several great restaurants.

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Gulf Breeze located in Santa Rosa County is great for snorkeling, hiking or birding at Gulf Islands National Seashore, a nationally protected park. Experience animals in a variety of ways. Observe them in their habitats while strolling through the park; from the boardwalk or safari line train. Feed giraffes, view twin tamarinds and take in acre after acre of free-roaming animals at the Gulf Breeze Zoo. Or, look for blue herons, brown pelicans or five-lined skinks inside the Naval Live Oaks Area (and headquarters) of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Marianna located in Jackson County is called “The City of Southern Charm”. On the surface, Marianna is all antiques and 19th-century relics. In fact, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, scene of the Civil War Battle of Marianna, still stands today. Beneath the town, you’ll find caverns (both water-filled and dry) inviting exploration. Tours at Florida Caverns State Park reveal limestone stalactites and stalagmites – you also can camp and fish, and the multi-use trails are popular with horseback riders, cyclists and walkers.

Mexico Beach is a small coastal community located in Bay County 20 miles east of Panama City on Florida’s Undiscovered Gulf Coast. Here you’ll find a small-town atmosphere filled with the Old Florida charm of the Florida Panhandle. Mexico Beach has preserved the natural beauty of the land and the sea combined creating a serene, laid-back destination. There’s plenty of water sports to enjoy – you can spend the day shelling, swimming, parasailing, kite-boarding, boating, diving, snorkeling, spearfishing or watching the dolphins play at sunset. Immerse yourself in the Gulf Coast flavors and fun of Mexico Beach – the restaurants cater to satisfy any palate and the wonderful shops and colorful boutiques offer everything from local artwork to traditional souvenirs.

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Milton located in Santa Rosa County is known as the canoe capitol of Florida. Here you’ll find the Blackwater River State Park boasts an incredible array of activities for outdoor enthusiast. Also, see the town’s 1912 Imogene Theater, Gothic Revival-style St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the West Florida Railroad Museum.

Navarre located in Santa Rosa County is a compact beach community found just east of Pensacola, Escambia County at the far northwestern tip of the state, beckons with 12 miles of pristine white shoreline. Nestled between Gulf Islands National Seashore and Navarre Beach Marine Park, this beach community offers solitude and simplicity. Its pristine beaches are named among the best in the nation year after year, and visitors compare crossing Navarre Bridge to transcending paradise time and time again. Fishing and staging the quintessential day at the beach are top to-dos along these family-friendly shores. What’s a vacation without shopping? Here you’ll find an array of charming shops and boutiques.

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Panama City Beach located in Bay County, named the 3rd top beach in the United States by TripAdviser, boasts a 27 mile stretch of white sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Panama City Beach is home to two state parks (St. Andrews State Park and Camp Helen State Park), provides plenty of public beach access points, waterfront restaurants (serving fresh local seafood), annual festivals & events and lots of family fun attractions & entertainment. 

The waters at Panama City Beach are well-known by both fishermen and scuba divers who enjoy the abundant beauty of several dozen artificial reefs located offshore and along the coastline. Here you can watch some of the most magnificent sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico every day of the year.

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Pensacola located in Escambia County offers miles of white sand beaches, an Historic Pensacola Village, and is home to America’s First Settlement Trail. Here you can see sites from as early as 1756, when the Spanish built Fort San Miguel – present-day downtown Pensacola. You can tour more than 260 years of history & heritage and learn the fascinating story of how Pensacola developed into the city you see today. The downtown area offers shopping, art galleries, restaurants, entertainment & nightlife, as well as cultural venues. Pensacola’s beaches are a must-see, with their white sands and gorgeous waters. Or, catch a ride on a dolphin boat tour, go on a snorkeling adventure or rent a boat for a day of leisurely fun in the sun. Here you’ll find lots of family fun things to do and sporting events to see.

For the aviation enthusiast, not only is Pensacola the place where naval pilots train, it is also home to the National Naval Aviation Museum – however, access is lmited; be sure to check for admission – and the Blue Angels Naval aerobatics team.

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Port St Joe located in Gulf County – nicknamed “small town with a big heart” is rich in history, natural beauty and outdoor adventure. Here you’ll find a postcard-perfect beach town with gift and antique shops, bistros, vest-pocket parks, wide open fairways, and an inviting waterfront marina.

Stretch your legs and enjoy a walk on the white-sand dune beach or snorkel in the Gulf of Mexico. Dine out with everything from the freshest local seafood to wood-fired pizza, sizzling steaks and roadside barbecue. The fun doesn’t end after dinner. Gulf County offers a variety of nightlife experiences – such as sunset jam sessions with a craft beer in hand or strolling downtown Port St. Joe and for a little axe throwing adventure. Gather every summer to celebrate one of the local celebrities at the Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Festival or listen to Nashville’s sounds for the Blast on the Bay Songwriter’s Festival in the Fall.

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Touching both the Choctawhatchee Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Santa Rosa Beach located in Santa Rosa County,  stretches 26-miles from Sandestin to Inlet Beach and boasts with natural scenic beauty, turquoise waters, one-of-a-kind charm and lots of visual style. The community of Santa Rosa Beach offers luxury beach houses, upscale dining, and the unique artist colony known as Gulf Place. With art galleries, great dining, a brewery, theatre, state parks, and more, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in the town of Santa Rosa Beach.

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St. George Island located in Franklin County is a beautiful 22-mile barrier island and home to the most unspoiled, serene beaches in the Sunshine State. St. George Island is a tranquil beach community with no high rise buildings or commercial chain stores. What you’ll find here is a laid-back attitude, breathtaking beaches and unspoiled nature. This serene destination is perfect for family-friendly activities—from swimming, fishing and paddling in the clear gulf waters to shelling, castle-building and relaxing on the sugar white sand. Kayaks, boats, bicycles, scooters and golf carts are all available for exploring the beautiful island and waterway.

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